May 2000
Transcription
May 2000
! " " Editor’s Note — Richard N. Antrim was the second Commanding Officer of DD834. The Guided Missile Frigate ANTRIM is named for Rear Admiral Richard Nott Antrim, a recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor. RADM Antrim was born on 17 December 1907 in Peru, Indiana. In June, 1926, he enlisted in the Naval Reserve. He accepted an appointment to the Naval Academy in 1927 and was commissioned an Ensign upon graduation in 1931. He was designated a Naval Aviator in September, 1940. He was awarded the Navy Cross for Heroism as Executive Officer of the destroyer POPE (DD-225) in the Battle of Makassar Strait (27 January 1942), the Battle of Badoeng Strait (19-20 February 1942) and the Battle of Java Sea (27 February - 1 March 1942). He was one of 151 survivors of POPE taken prisoner after the destroyer was sunk during the Battle of the Java Sea. Antrim received the Congressional Medal of Honor and Bronze Star for heroic actions while in a Japanese POW camp. In the first instance, in April, 1942, he interceded on behalf of a junior officer who was being beaten by a frenzied Japanese guard and was close to death. Failing to dissuade the guard, he offered to take the punishment himself. The Japanese were so startled by this action that no further punishment was # $ % & ')( *+ + , given and life at the prison, which had been worsening, began to improve. In July, 1945, Antrim was in charge of a labor party which was tasked with constructing bomb protection trenches. He caused the trenches to be constructed in such a manner that Allied aerial photography revealed the nature of the trenches and whom they protected. When he returned to the United States, Antrim commanded USS TURNER (DD-834), 1947-1948, and USS MONTROSE (APA-212), 1952-1953. His post-war shore assignments included tours with the Navy Staff and the State Department. He retired as Head, Naval Amphibious Warfare Matters in the Navy Department in April, 1954, and was advanced to the rank of Rear Admiral on the basis of combat awards. After retirement from the Navy, Rear Admiral Antrim and his family settled in Mountain Home, Arkansas, where he died in 1969. He is survived by his wife Mary Jean Packard Antrim, the ship's sponsor, and their three children. USS ANTRIM is the second Oliver Hazard Perry Class Guided Missile Frigate built for the US Navy by Todd Pacific Shipyards Corporation, Seattle, WA. She was commissioned in September, 1981. The concept of the class began in 1971 when the United States Navy initiated a program to build fifty Patrol Frigates. The class was later re- -. / 0 designated as Guided Missile Frigates and the class leader, USS OLIVER HAZARD PERRY, was commissioned on 17 December 1977. It was the largest Naval destroyer class to be built since World War II. BUILT BY: Todd Pacific Shipyards Corp. Seattle, Washington LENGTH: 445 Feet, BEAM: 45 Feet KEEL LAID: 21 June 1978 DISPLACEMENT: 3600 tons LAUNCHED: 27 March 1979 COMPLEMENT: 12 Officers, 167 Enlisted COMMISSIONED: 26 Sept. 1981 DECOMMISSIONED: 8 May 1986 ARMAMENT: Mk13 Guided Missile Launcher, Harpoon anti-surface missiles, Standard anti-aircraft missile, 76mm Mk75 Rapid Fire Gun, Mk32 ASW Torpedo Tubes (two triple mountings) COMBAT SYSTEMS: AN/SPS-49 Air Search Radar, AN/SPS-55 Surface Search Radar, Mk 92 Fire Control System, AN/SLQ-32 Electronic Warfare System, AN/SQS-56 Digital Sonar SRBOC Decoy System, Naval Combat Data System PROPULSION: Two General Electric LM 2500 Gas Turbines (40,000 HP), Two 360 HP Electric Auxiliary Propulsion Units, One Controllable Reversible Pitch Propeller MAXIMUM SPEED: More than 30 knots AIRCRAFT: Capability to carry two medium size helicopters O P QSRUTNV W XZY [ \ ABCEDFCGAIHKJLFNM 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 We've experienced a death in the family. It wasn't a fellow shipmate, but someone that any For those who didn’t attend shipmate who ever attended a this year’s reunion, a Turner Reunion Memory book with photos reunion will know. In fact, this and other interesting material is person was very instrumental available. To order, send $20 or in ensuring the success of our Visa/MasterCard, to Reunion Ser- association. I'm talking about vices, The Dunning Company, Shirley Shanaberger, the wife PO Drawer 759, Theodore, AL of our Secretary, Dick. 36590. I've only been involved with the association for about 4 The following items can be years, but during that time, I ordered from Carl Ackerman, have called Dick on numerous 7436 Daisy Cir., Macungie, PA occasions. When Shirley an18062. Ph: (610) 398-0145 swered the phone, we always Turner baseball caps embroidered chatted a little bit and I always kidded her about keeping Dick with Turner logo are $16. in line. I didn't meet Shirley until I Up-to-date rosters are $4. attended my first reunion in Mesh polo shirts embroidered Jacksonville in 1997. She was with Turner logo. Colors are red, as I imagined, a very sweet and white or blue. Sizes M to L come supportive woman. with a pocket. XL has no pocket. Dick has always worked Cost is $40. hard to keep this association running. Consider all the mail]_^`^badcEegf hi^kj lmjmnpo ings you receive. Someone has to take them to the printer, pick q`r sdtLu v wyx{zk|~} zk them up, put the labels and g stamps on them and get them to the post office. All of that for 900+ pieces of mail each mailing. I know things were always busy at the Shanaberger residence when a mailing was being prepared. And I know Shirley was as busy as anyone else in stamping, sealing and labeling envelopes. We sometimes joke that behind every successful man is a great woman. Although Dick Left: T. McDougal, Center: Fred is certainly successful at runDwyer, Right: C. Powers 1 9 : ; < = > ? = @ ning our association, I think in this case the old saying is true. Without Shirley's help, this association would not have run as smoothly and, possibly, would not have existed!! After all, Dick needed a lot of help and support in those early years and I'm sure he got it from Shirley. Of course Shirley was a dedicated worker on her own career. She was the owner and broker of Century 21 — The Jager Agency in Wayne NJ before she retired in 1992. She was also a member of the Passaic County Board of Realtors in New Jersey and the Shiloh Lioness Club in York. In addition to Dick, Shirley will be deeply missed by her mother, Elizabeth, her son, Jeffrey and daughter, Tracy, her five grandchildren, two brothers, Robert and George and her sister, Susan. She will also be missed by the nearly 1,000 members of the USS Turner Reunion Association and our associated family. And I know I will miss her. I already miss her cheery voice when I call Dick and I will also miss seeing her and talking with her at the reunions. Thank you, Shirley, for all you've done for us. Smooth Seas and Safe Harbor. — Pete ¤ ¥ ¦¨§©¥ ª¬« ¤ ¤ EGIKLN ¯® ° ® ±³²µ´·¶d° ¸ « His last job was Commander, Navy Recruiting Area Three in Macon, By Mel Edwards Georgia. In these 34 years he had 15 We're always amazed by what Navy assignments. He served on interesting lives and careers the men eight merchant steam ships and six of Commanding the who served on the TURNER have the Navy's. TURNER, his only Navy sea comled. This is certainly true of Captain C.C. Dudley, the T U R N E R 's Com- mand, is one of the high points of a manding Officer from 1963 to 1965. successful Navy career. Captain Dudley began his sea service As we keep discovering, Turner CO's in 1944 as a member of the Merchant go on to rewarding second careers. Marine, retiring from the Navy with This is certainly true of Captain Dudfour stripes in the summer of 1978. ley. He has been successful in business, forming his own home health g E¡ £¢ k Right: Edward Maier, taken in hometown of Kearny, NJ. Beauty shop in background. Far Right: Eddie with buddies. Top left: Edward Maier, Bottom left: Marty Paddon, Bottom right: Harry Longenecker — Courtesy of Macfie Elfers Janet ¹»º ¼¾½¿ ¹»À Á  à ķŠagency, and being active in community affairs. He founded the Retired Officers Association, Northeast Georgia Chapter and has served as the president of the Georgia Association of Home Health Agencies. Currently he is active in twelve civic and fraternal organizations. So again we learn, not to our surprise, that old sailors just keep sailing on. Many seem to set courses in life with fair winds and following seas: Captain Dudley among them. Ï ÐÒѾÑÔÓÖÕµÐÒÑ ×ØÐÙÚ Û Ü As a former proud member of the Turner Tigers (59-61), I enjoyed browsing the Turner Website. Your information is accurate, well presented, and enjoyable to view. Thanks for the memories! — Bill Breighner, QM3 Ç ÈÉEÊËÉGÇIÌKÍLËNÎ ÛUÝßÞ à Ðá¾ÑyâãÚäÐ Mule gun designed to be broken down and hauled cross country on mules. With the 3 inch bore and the short 70 1/2 inch barrel it also had a kick like a mule and many of us got nose bleeds when it was fired. I was amazed by the rest of her history. — Tom Bowerman You've done a great job. I was on the Turner in the M division and I worked for MMC H.L Dennis. It was great to receive the Turner Times telling us about the web page. Thank you My name is on the roster along with many of the shipmates I had at the — Leland R. Bachman time: 1965-67. I enlisted in the Navy Just wanted to let you know I visited in 1963 and after 29 years finally your web site and appreciated it. I called it quits on 31 Aug. 1992. was on the Turner as a PHM striker Since retiring I have had the pleasure of meeting with my old skipper, during Roi Islands atomic tests. By Capt. J.D. Calloway, here in the Ft. the way we left port with my being Lauderdale area. I am also a member the only medical representative board of the USS Hancock CV,CVA 19. I ship. On return to U.S., the Navy made the last Wes-Pac on her in sent me to Balboa Hospital for train1975 and was very involved with the ing. evacuation of Saigon 30 April 1975. As ever, My wife and I are unable to get to the reunions of either ship but one of — Harry Gordon these days we will make a reunion. During my career I was stationed on Just want you to know the proudest 7 destroyers, 1 carrier, 2 ammunition moment of my life was abroad the ships and 1 LST. I also was a ComUSS Turner. I served on her in the pany Commander at RTC Orlando mid-50's as a Machinist mate AND I and my last duty station as that of worked the forward engine room. I Leading Chief of the Gun Line at made two cruises on her to the Med Fleet Combat Training Command, and north Atlantic also have two Dam Neck Va. About a year ago I cruise books. CDR. Turner was the contacted Pete Varley and had a nice Commanding Officer at the time I phone conversation. I made the Med was first stationed on her in 1955 and cruise of '65 & '66.Also the First we had a change of Command in unmanned Apollo shot., where the 1957 TO CDR. McMullen. USS Wasp picked up the capsule. We crossed the Equator on 22 Feb. — Gene (MO) 1966. I have "My wall " in our office at our home with picture of the Turner along with the Neptune Rex Hi. Nice pages on the Turner plaque signed by Capt. Calloway. (DD258). I trained on the Turner Well so much for now. Keep up the and it did not have 3"50's as the hi sgood work. Your shipmate, tory says. Later maybe. When I trained on her she had one three inch — GMCS (SW) Ret. Tom Weil 23 1/2 on the stern. It was a Navy Æ å æ`ç è é êyëìçZí æ î ïñð`òôó õ öø÷gùúkûÔü¾ý£ý We recently received several emails from Teresa who found our Internet site. She's looking for the grandfather she has never met. Let me tell you in her own words. "I'vebeen searching for my Grandfather, Frank Dwyer who was on the USS Turner DDR-834 in 1949-50 in Newport, RI. and was a 2nd Class Quartermaster. I've been sear ching for 15 years and this (our website) is the first sign of hope in finding him. Can you please help me? Any information at all would be of great help to me and my family. Could you at least forward a message to him if the Reunion has knowledge of his current information?" After telling Teresa that her grandfather was not on our roster but we'd love to help, she adding the fo llowing. "I have very little information about him. I know he was on the ship from 1949-1953 at least, he was a 2nd class Quartermaster, was in Newport. in 1949, he married his 2nd wife who was from Charleston, MA, but I don't have her name. He was friends with T. McDougal, Tommy Rogers and Clare Powers. I know around 1946 he was stationed at Patuxant NAS and lived in Cottage City or Hyattsville, MD where he met his 1st wife, had children and got divorced." Please look at the picture on page 2. So TURNERMEN, we have a mystery on our hands. I've put Teresa in touch with some others who were on the ship at about the same time, but with so little information, this will be a difficult search. If any of you have any information at all to contribute about Frank Dwyer, please forward it to Pete Varley whose address is on the last page of the newsletter. Thanks again, from both the Association and Teresa. ÿGÿ "!$# %&('*)+,.-0/ The photos were also submitted by Paul Avery. Three of his photos were published in the last issue. Above: Turner at sea, 1945. Note the size of the ship's numbers and her name painted on her side. Above Right: Turner's first skipper, Commander Ellis S. Rittenhouse. Right: Signboard displayed at open houses showing the various ribbons citations and awards worn by the crew members. Bottom Right: The original officers of the Turner. See anyone your recognize?? Last Page: Autograph book completed by Paul's shipmates. Restless ? We have all heard the story about the sailor who, upon retirement after twenty, put an oar on his shoulder and started inland. When he met a man who asked him what he had on his shoulder, he settled there. There are better ways to select a home, but some, after moving, many times are restless and feel the need to move for the sake of moving. When we have the urge to get up and go, maybe we should take the advice to face the reality of the situation and bloom where we are planted. þ 24365"768592:;8=< > ? @ A B C D B @ EGF DIH JLK9MONQPSR0TURWVXRWVZY[RWTM\Y^]`_ONa]`_bTcNedfVXRc]XghY^]iMbTUj Arthur T. Thompson, MM3, ‘54’58 Everyone on the ship received the “Drone Splashers Club” certificate (see Page 7) for shooting down the drone on January 31, 1955. We were on a Caribbean cruise at the time, visiting San Juan, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands and Montego Bay, Jamaica. I believe the drone was launched from the Turner and shot down while we were leaving from Cuidad Trujillo, Dominican Republic to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Some would say it was a lucky shot, but I believe the Gunner’s Mates would say it was simply skill. I also remember the Thanksgiving Day Dinner served on November 22, 1956. The Turner was on its way back to Newport, Rhode Island after being called from plane guard exercise at Mayport, Florida to Europe during the Hungarian Uprising where we rendezvous with the carrier Franklin D. Roosevelt. I always believed the food served on the Turner was very good. Even the S.O.S. was tasty!! Hat’s off to the cooks. While in port at Naples, Italy for a tender period alongside the U.S.S. Yellowstone, the Turner was called to the eastern Med off the coast of Jordan with the carrier U.S.S. Forrestal for a show of strength. The tour to Rome, Italy was cancelled and the remaining crew worked together to get the ship together to be shipshape to get underway. I, with many of the men who served aboard the Turner, will probably never forget the times they served, while riding out a storm in heavy seas (to this day, I only pour a half a cup of coffee) to the tours at different ports. Alfred W. Duerig, RT2, ’45-‘46 primary functions - electronic countermeasures and deception. Since I In mid-August 1945 1 received was responsible for maintaining that my first sea duty assignment - to the equipment, I was kept quite busy. newly built radar picket destroyer On October 23, we left PensaUSS Turner, DDR834, then on its cola and went to a really unusual shakedown cruise in the Caribbean. destination for a Navy ship - Lake When she returned to Boston at the Charles, Louisiana. This involved end of August, I joined the 8-man cruising some 60 miles up from the electronics crew. As a second-class Gulf of Mexico in a very narrow and petty officer, I was the third to senior shallow channel. They said no ship in rank, although the least experi- that large had ever visited Lake enced. On September 7 we went to Charles. Here we again conducted sea for the first time since I came open house for a week. We had over aboard - just for the day. The next 10,000 visitors - almost everyone in day we left for Guantanamo Bay, town came, and the lines were so Cuba, for a second shakedown long that many were turned away. cruise, stopping en route at Norfolk. (Editor's Note— Remember the phoWe arrived in Cuba on September tos of this in the last issue??) One 12, and during a week there I never item that attracted a lot of attention saw anything beyond the Naval Base. was a wire recorder, which our elecLeaving Cuba, we headed north via tronics group demonstrated. We let Puerto Rico and anchored in Casco people record their voices and play Bay, at Portland Maine, on Septem- them back. This was a real novelty ber 26. in 1945. Tape recording was still Leaving Portland, we went south some years in the future. This small again and cruised up the Chesapeake town had seen few sailors and no Bay and Potomac River to Washing- ships during the war, and the citizens ton DC, arriving October 2. This made us most welcome with almost was a very unusual destination for daily dinner invitations and parties. Navy ships - the river was barely We returned to Pensacola for a deep enough to accommodate a de- couple of days, and then on Novemstroyer. We were there to be on pub- ber 6 headed for the Panama Canal lic display, and we had many visitors en route to the Pacific. We stopped including several high level officials, at Coco Solo Naval Base in Colon, Admiral Nimitz among them. I was on the Atlantic end of the Canal, and one of the guides conducting ship I experienced my first liberty in a tours; my job was to demonstrate our foreign country. It was a wild town, electronic equipment. We got con- with drinking and prostitution everysiderable newspaper publicity as "the where. I was somewhat shocked by Navy's most modern destroyer", and it all, and my only participation was we counted 20,000 visitors over to help drag several drunken shipabout 4 days. mates back to the ship. On NovemWe then headed for the Pacific, ber 12, we transited the Canal and but we had a few more calls to make proceeded north toward San Diego. on the way. We made a brief stop at Norfolk on October 8 and then proAl Duerig's adventures will be ceeded to Pensacola, Florida. To- continued in the next issue. Stay gether with three other destroyers tuned for an important message and an aircraft carrier, we exercised from our sponsor….. for several days in one of our ship's 1 lmnopn^lqrps k uvwxyw^u{z}|~y= Final Roll Call We have learned since our last issue that these shipmates have answered the call of the Supreme Commander: Caswell, Jerry SA Freear, Robert (Bob) 62 DD648 Marshall, Donnal SOS3 64-66 Woods, Mark RADM 45-46 The U. S .S. Turner Reunion Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to locating and keeping us in contact with our former shipmates. The Association Officers are: President Treasurer Pete Varley ('66 -'69) Vice President John Bryon ('45 -'46) Secretary Dick Shanaberger ('51 Mike Quinn ('56 -'59) -'55) The Turner Times is published periodically, by the dedicated staff members shown below, to help communicate Association news and facilitate the sharing of memories. Suggestions and items of interest can be submitted to either of us. Originals will be returned, if requested. Staff Coordinator Editor/Publisher Mel Edwards ('57 -'59) Pete Varley ('66 -'69) 1431 Bieker Road 202 Shadowbend Drive Washington, MO 63090 Wheeling, IL 60090 Phone: (636) 239-8960 Phone: (847) 808-0460 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] I Q~$^`[^U4\[ $¢¡¤£Q¢`¡¥¦¦£&§§¤`¨[4¡¤©c44¦`ª««~¬ ®` ¯6° ±~²´³µ²¶4µ²§·h³¸Q¹»º¦±c¼4µ4½*±¾½¦±~²§¿`¹}½À³µ²Áº¦¿`¹¢Âµh¼Â¥ÃļÅO³²Æ¼¿\µ4¹ÇaÅ[½À³Ä²§·¹»Â`µ4½¦¿{½À³µÈ É~ÊÌˢͧÎbÊ~ÏÐ{ÑÒXÓÔÑÖÕ`Ó^Ñ$Õ×ʾØbÎÙ×ÊL×4Ó¦ÚUÚbÛÜÚ[Ó^×iÝ»Õ$ÐÓ^ÑØÖ˪×ÞÊaßÆà t